One month until Flint voters decide fate of now-closed city jail

Matt Dixon | The Flint JournalA Genesee County Jail inmate waits inside a cell at the Flint City Jail in the Flint police station to see a judge Thursday. The city jail is currently only used as a temporary holding facility for those waiting to see a judge at the police station but Flint voters will go to the polls May 3 to consider a 2-mill tax that would reopen the city jail to house fresh arrests. The jail has not been used for new arrests since 2008.

FLINT, Michigan — Resident Robert Smith’s wallet is warring with his eagerness for a more comprehensive public safety system.

It’s a battle that many Flint residents will face before the May 3 election.

In one month, voters will take to the polls to decide whether they’re willing to pay higher taxes to reopen the Flint City Jail.

The 2-mill proposal would add about $40 a year on the tax bill of a homeowner with $19,600 in taxable value — the average in Flint.

For a city with 25 percent unemployment, a shortage of police officers and serious crime issues, a possible tax increase for the jail poses a dilemma for many residents.

Smith, 40, said he is still undecided on the measure.

“That puts me in a rock and a hard place,” he said as he left City Hall on business Friday afternoon. “It’s a tight spot because you want somewhere to put the criminals, but you want to save some of that money because times is tough.”

The city lockup has been open and shut several times over the past couple of decades.

Located inside the Flint Police Department, the jail was built in 1967 and operated until 1987, when it closed because of budget problems.

Former Mayor Woodrow Stanley opened the facility from 1999 to 2001 and former Mayor Don Williamson opened it from 2007 to 2008.

Now, Mayor Dayne Walling and other supporters of the proposal are promoting a newly opened city jail as an invaluable resource for Flint police, urging voters to approve the measure.

Walling said he’s spoken to several community groups about the benefits.

“An open city jail will reduce crime and help our police officers,” he said. “When loiterers and prostitutes and illegal scrappers know there’s a consequence for their actions, our community will be better off.”

Voters will also see on the ballot a 2-mill tax for police services, which is essentially a continuation of the current 2 mills for community policing, which expire this year.

The tax increase for the jail was a compromise between Walling and the Flint City Council, which rejected the mayor’s proposed 6-mill public safety tax that he said would have funded police, fire and the jail.

The council voted no on the 6-mill tax increase — some saying Flint residents can’t afford it — but ultimately decided they were willing to let voters consider a 2-mill tax specifically for the jail.

Council President Jackie Poplar has said many residents in her ward say they want a chance to vote on the tax.

Flint resident Eric Mays spoke out against the upcoming ballot measure at a recent council meeting, saying that if a public safety tax increase had to go on the ballot, it should have been for more police officers.

The city laid off 66 police officers in 2010 because of budget problems.

“It should be voted down in my opinion,” Mays said of the jail proposal. “It should be personnel first, jail second.”

Supporters of the jail say opening it will help the police department.

Currently, police officers are forced to let some alleged offenders walk away with appearance tickets because there’s no place to put them. The county jail regularly flirts with overcrowding.

Flint police union heads have said the jail would help officers do their jobs, but even more helpful would be additional officers.

Councilman Scott Kincaid said he views the jail as a tool for police, as necessary as a police vehicle, in-car computer or a radio.

“It’s very important to have a holding facility,” he said. “It gets prostitutes off the street and johns off the street and people breaking and entering. I’ve always supported the jail.”

But some question whether voters are getting the whole story on the jail millage.

Historically, the city jail acts as a holding facility for alleged offenders before a judge can order them into the county jail.

County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jamie Curtis said some in county government are concerned that opening the city jail could lead to an overcrowding emergency at the county jail.

“It’s not about money, it’s about capacity,” said Curtis, D-Burton, who represents a portion of Flint. “It’s all about awareness, to me.

“I hate to see people pay more money and have high expectations and not get their return for the money.”

Walling said there are still more talks to be had about how the city and county jails will work together, but opening the jail is still a priority.

“It’s to everyone’s benefit that criminals be off the street,” he said. “So we’re working with limited resources, but there has to be a place for the nonviolent offenders.”